My continuous transformation from a student to a young, professional adult

Tips and Tricks: Getting Your G2

I went relatively far to Oshawa to take my driving test to get my G2. This is a common practice for those wanting/needing to pass right away as the conditions in smaller towns are often less stressful than in Toronto: less traffic and less aggressive drivers equals higher likelihood of pass.

TIPS: BOOKING IN ADVANCE

Smaller towns often have less traffic and less aggressive drivers on the road. This can make it less stressful for you to be on the road when you’re taking the driving test. If you do go out of town for your driving test, be sure to go early and practice in the area so you get a feel for the roads.

If you are testing during the summer (late June to early September), try to book as far in advance as possible so you don’t get stuck with a bad time. The best time of the day is in the late morning like 10:30 or mid-afternoon like 2.

TIPS: DAY OF THE TEST

Go early and practice in the area that you will be tested in. This will help you catch any mistakes you may make before the test; make you feel more comfortable with the area; and get you back in the flow of driving.

If you are getting tested in Oshawa, the three main areas that I saw students being tested in are North and East of John Street W and Park Rd S as well as South of John Street West (both West and East). Practice parallel parking, three point turns, downhill/uphill parking as well as going through the intersections in the residential area.

TIPS: AT THE TEST CENTER

The MTO website suggests that you arrive at the test centre 30 minutes before your test. You may want to go 45 minutes earlier as there is usually a long line to register for the driving test.

Reverse park into one of the available parking spots. This will make it easier for you to get out of the spot later during your test. It may take you a while to get into the spot but at least no one will be marking you at this time! (Or you can ask your fully licensed G driver to do it for you if you’re not quite there yet 😉 )

Before heading into the centre, make note of: the Brand of your Car, the License Plate number and the number of the parking spot that you are parked in.

When you go into the centre, you will see two lines: on the left side there’s a line for general inquiries and on the right side there’s a line for driving test applicants. Go to the line for driving test applicants. It should take about 20 – 30 minutes to get to the front of the line (assuming the line begins at the front doors of the test centre entrance).

Once you get to the desk, the MTO employee will ask you for your G1 ID and then ask you for the following information (you will have to state this information, even though they can see some of it): your full name, your birth date, your address, make and model of your car and the parking spot that your car is in.

The MTO employee will instruct you to sit inside of your car and wait for the tester to come out. My tester arrived 10 minutes later than my appointment time but try to relax if that happens to you. Stressing out will only cause you to make mistakes!

TIPS: SCORES

The test is scored out of 100. You begin with 100 points and every time you make a mistake you will lose either 2 points for a minor mistake (indicated with a check mark) or 4 points for a major mistake (indicated with an x).

You need 70 points to pass so you can make 15 minor mistakes, 7 major mistakes or a combination of the two to pass. Major mistakes include failing to signal at intersections, during a lane change, etc. Minor mistakes include wide or tight turns, not checking intersections before you pass them, etc.

In the photo below, you will see my test and the types of things that they are looking for:

If you complete any of the following things, you can automatically fail and be asked to go back to the driving centre.

TIPS: DRIVING TEST

The test should last no longer than 15 minutes. You will drive along one of the main streets and then you will be taken into a residential area where you will be asked to do a three point turn, a parallel park and then a downhill/uphill park. You will then head back to the test centre.

TIPS: AFTER THE TEST

You will get a yellow sheet that confirms that you passed your test and you will be told to go back inside. Make sure that the tester writes that you have passed!

Enter the line on the left side for general inquiries. They will give you a ticket. Wait until your number is called and then they will give you your temporary license. You won’t need to take a new photo and you won’t be asked to take an eye exam again. Congratulations on passing!!

I hope this post helps you feel more prepared and informed to take the driving test.